After recent geopolitical tensions left many expat families in the UAE struggling with low wages and unpaid holidays, a business owner has launched a personal initiative aimed at providing immediate relief.Maria Paz Banag-Marquez, 59, who runs a well-established pastry chain across the UAE, has announced the distribution of free grocery packets to support struggling residents. talking to Khaleej TimesHe said the idea came after noticing the increasing number of customers facing financial difficulty. “Our customers are not just Filipinos; we serve many nationalities. Lately, I have been seeing a lot of cases of forced furloughs and unpaid holidays among our customers. I wondered how I could help them, and I decided to provide grocery assistance to at least some people,” she said.The initiative will begin on Monday, with 300 grocery packets to be distributed across branches in Deira, Satwa and Sharjah. Each location will provide 100 packets in the first phase. Each package costs around Dh75, the package includes essential items like rice, canned food, eggs, coffee and other daily meals.Maria explained that the content was based on direct feedback from customers. “I’ve been asking people in my clients’ WhatsApp groups what they need most, and rice and other similar food items top the list. My team at Maria Paz is organizing it, and even my daughter and son-in-law in the Netherlands have come forward to help. I hope this initiative will bring some joy to people in these difficult times,” she said.Despite the effort, she acknowledged the emotional impact of the situation. He said he constantly receives messages from people asking for work. “Every day, I get messages on my phone from people saying, ‘Madam, I’ve been forcibly furloughed and have no salary, can you hire me part-time?’ To be honest, considering the current situation, I cannot hire anyone right now. I’m so sorry for them – I wish I could have them all,” she said.Explaining her decision to focus on direct assistance rather than employment, Maria said that long-term placement is not sustainable under the current circumstances. “I am trusting the people who receive these grocery items. They may abuse the help, but I am choosing to trust them. Even if I were to hire someone on a Maria Paz visa, as I keep getting requests, I need to think about the future. I may be able to train them, but in a few months, if the situation does not improve, I may not be able to pay the salary. So I thought this initiative was the best way to help, even if in a small way,” he said.He has also dedicated personal funds to expand this effort. She said, “Tomorrow, I am flying to the Philippines for about two weeks. I had set a budget for my vacation, but I have decided to cut down on my vacation expenses and contribute an additional Dh5,000 to this initiative.”Maria’s journey reflects continued growth based on perseverance. She moved to the UAE in 2008 and worked as a domestic help for a French family for 13 years before starting her own business in December 2021, opening her first branch in Al Satwa. Today, his pastry chain operates nine outlets across the country. “Baking has always been my passion and that’s why I started this business,” she said.Reflecting on his decision to give back, he said, “The UAE has been incredibly generous to me, and now it’s time for me to return that kindness to society.”